


Chiaoscuro

by PalaeoPanthalassa



Category: The Dark Crystal (1982)
Genre: Gen, Urskeks, prequel to film, seriously set about 2000 years before the film, totalitarian rule, urskek homeworld
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-11
Updated: 2017-01-11
Packaged: 2018-09-16 22:05:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9291518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PalaeoPanthalassa/pseuds/PalaeoPanthalassa
Summary: Long ago a group of urskek followed a simple belief that was heresy to their society, the belief that individualism was not a sin. Many of them realised the danger, many of them disowned the belief, just 18 remained when the council finally called upon them and banished them to Thra.





	

The life-beat of the Great Crystal, a gentle thrumming murmur, resonated within the crystalline chamber.   
  
In the centre of the chamber, where glowing spidery crystal veins converged to form a pedestal of light, hung a single triangular crystal node, which pulsed slowly in rhythm with the life-beat of the distant Great Crystal.  
  
81 billowing figures of light, in 9 circles of 9, hovered around the centre of the chamber, the ends of their long robes never touching the ground. They waited patiently, in near silence, awaiting a sign.  
  
ShodYod straightened his back again, and breathed deeply. He wasn't the only one becoming agitated though, he could hear a multitude of shuffling in the chamber, as arms were crossed and uncrossed, sleeves straightened and robes neatened. Many curious eyes glanced over many faces, hopeful smiles cast between one another, all hoping someone would have an answer as to why they were being delayed.  
  
There were many transport chambers like this one all over the city, all interconnected by crystal veins that ran right to the heart of the Great Crystal itself. Normally, at regular intervals the crystal would pulse, allowing all urskek to travel almost instantaneously across the city.  
  
The Great Crystal's power had long ago been harnessed to support all of urskek kind beneath its influence.  
  
High in the Sanctum of the Crystal, its nurturing white light was guarded and protect closely by those who had proved themselves the most honourable and with the greatest of intentions. They, the council, made certain that everything ran perfectly. And as a further safeguard, above them ruled the 21 elders, who were wise beyond measure. The crystal pulses were just one of the many powers of the Great Crystal, it supported the entire homecity, it was their very life-force.  
  
Being late was the least of his worries though. Outwardly, ShodYod might have appeared no different than his fellow travellers in his mannerisms, though maybe slightly stiffer in posture, but in his mind his thoughts were in turmoil. Too many thoughts crowded his head, all trying to speak to him at once, never giving him a moment's rest.  
  
And the reason why all narrowed down to why he was taking this trip to the heart of the homecity in the first place.   
  
EktUtt had vanished.  
  
Seemingly overnight, his workshop, normally overflowing with fabrics and parchment, had been emptied. And EktUtt himself, usually the shining centrepiece, was gone, without a word of warning.  
  
No one knew where he had gone, but ShodYod suspected he knew, and the thought filled him with dread.  
  
He had no idea what to do, but he hoped and had faith, that his old friend and once-colleague, would. After all, SoSu,  the forsaken philosopher, knew many things.  
  
Finally, the thrumming beat of the crystal began to change, steadily growing louder, while the chamber grew brighter and brighter.  
  
There were several exclamations of relief, someone even laughed, at the signs that the Great Crystal was about to come to life once more.   
  
ShodYod breathed a sigh of relief, closing his eyes and relaxing for just the briefest of moments as the chamber node shone brightly, and felt himself become one with the glowing warm light.   
  
It was over almost immediately.   
  
Opening his eyes, he found himself in another chamber, slightly larger than the last. The glow from this chamber was already fading, the power of the Great Crystal's powerful returning to its source.  
  
Emerging from the transport chamber, ShodYod drifted with the crowd, making his way through the winding subterranean tunnels up towards the surface.  
  
As the tunnel broadened out, he passed beneath an archway of smooth polished marble that curved back like the edge of a shell, and then the dark night sky was overhead.  
  
But light was everywhere, as it always had been for all his living memory.  
  
Towering twisting spires and blocks of domes were everywhere, all glowing with a soft green-white light, even the streets themselves, paved in repeated triangular slabs of emerald green stone, glowed softly.  
  
The whole city was alight with the power of the Great Crystal.  
  
Ahead of him ShodYod could see in the distance, at the highest point of the city, an immense ivory white tower, the Sanctum of the Crystal. And lower down the hill, in the shadow of the Crystal Sanctum, interspersed at regular intervals were 9 spiralling towers that stood taller that the rest of the homecity. These were the 9 Towers of Knowledge, one of these, the closest, the Tower of Clarity was where he was headed this evening, for today its appointed steward, ZokZah, was welcoming in any who wished to listen, to the controversial words of the once-philosopher SoSu.  
  
ShodYod hurried onwards, passing between towers and spires that were tiered like immense stairs, spiralling outwards higher and higher up the hill, the spaces between them like rifts and valleys.  
  
Upon reaching the Tower of Clarity he was joined by 8 others, making the same journey as him.  
  
Two were familiar faces to him, the others were all new.  
  
“ShodYod,” one of them called out to him, surprisingly loud in the stillness of the evening.  
  
He smiled broadly on seeing them, it had been a while now since he had been able to attend one of SoSu's speeches, he had missed them.  
  
“Greetings, LiLii and OkAc,” and looking at the new faces, after a pause he added. “And a great welcome to any newcomers whom are curious to hear the word of SoSu this eve.”  
  
“You're late as well, it seems,” OkAc spoke to him. “The crystal pulse did not arrive at the time it should have. I assume you were affected too?”  
  
“Yes, that was strange,” ShodYod agreed. “It seems now we all will miss the majority of the talk.”  
  
“It is a shame, but cannot be helped,” OkAc agreed. “There is always a next time, though.”  
  
Inside the tower, they found themselves in an immensely tall cylindrical chamber. The tower itself was hollow, without stairs, doors or windows, but the walls of which were overflowing with intricate writings and symbols all shining brightly. Together they began to ascend upwards, gliding past the many texts and beautiful complex illustrations inscribed upon the walls, towards the distant upper floors. The ground below them dropping further and further away until the outdoor light through the open archway door below was just a speck of light.  
  
But ShodYod had no fear of heights. No urskek did.  
  
“So what brings you out here?” LiLii questioned him.  
  
“We don't often see you at these gatherings,” OkAc added. “Your teachings mean you normally listen from a great distance, and we rarely see you face to face.”  
  
“I merely wish to catch up with some old friends, and enjoy the evening,” ShodYod replied uneasily, but he managed to smile and it seemed to work. “As you've said, it has been a while since I've been here.”  
  
“Seems fair enough,” LiLii was satisfied with the answer, though OkAc looked as if he wanted to say more. “You were attending these talks long before we even knew of them, it would be odd if you never showed up anymore. Hmm, where are my manners? I haven't introduced these new fellows of ours. This is NaNol...”  
  
She indicated the unusually stern-looking individual who hovered below the rest of them, he was notably older than the other newcomers, with the deep time-etched lines upon his brow and below his eyes. NaNol looked up and managed to crack a small smile. ShodYod felt a small twinge of distrust at this stern stranger, and missed the names of the rest of the urskeks as LiLii rattled them off, only just catching the last.  
  
“...and FeeFos,” the last name indicated a rather uncomfortable looking individual, who smiled at him a little too brightly before casting her eyes away shyly to look at LiLii for further guidance.  
  
“Pleased to meet you all,” ShodYod bowed his head lightly at each of them in turn, then felt awkward as he realised he probably should have bowed just once to the group.  
  
“That tailor, he is also late,” OkAc commented to LiLii, gliding higher so that he was level with them. “He was supposed to meet us on the journey here, but he never showed…”  
  
With a jolt of realisation, ShodYod immediately knew who they were talking about. But he said nothing. He didn't want to cause unnecessary distress, not yet when he was still uncertain of the truth himself.  
  
“That tailor? He has attended every talk from the very beginning, everyone knows his name,” LiLii tutted, and raised a brow at OkAc, and smiled broadly at ShodYod. “OkAc doesn't like the idea that EktUtt had about introducing sigils for those who follow SoSu's beliefs.”  
  
“EktUtt is too outspoken, he brings too much attention to himself,” OkAc countered. “And not the right kind of attention, I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up being listed as a segregatio-”  
  
“OkAc,” LiLii interrupted, she tilted her head discretely towards the new followers and smiled.  
  
“Oh, forget I said anything,” OkAc raised his chin. “We are here tonight to celebrate individuality, and the unity that can be had with and despite it.”  
  
“Here, here,” agreed ShodYod.  
  
…  
  
On reaching the top of the tower, they filed out quickly through another open archway, passing through into an empty terrace that beheld the city  below. Some of the newcomers stopped to look at the view, having never been this high above the homecity before.  
  
ShodYod instinctively followed their line of sight and looked out towards the horizon, far, far away to where the homecity lights abruptly came to an end. Beyond this was a solid wall of shadow, the Veil of Grey that surrounded the immense homecity on all sides. Barely visible from the sheer distance ShodYod could also just about glimpse the Standing Towers, immense claw-like structures that stood between where the lights ended and the darkness began.  
  
“Hurry along,” OkAk insisted.  
  
They passed under another archway from which warmer light shone, and they moved into an enclosed high chamber, from which they could already hear the speech. Here the soft light of the crystal was added to by the warmer yellow lights of ceremonial lanterns, which decorated the room, courtesy of the steward ZokZah.  
  
While the room was quite full, ShodYod had seen it fuller, and even as he was thinking this, further urskeks began to emerge from the archway he had only just passed under. All late by the odd delay in the crystal pulse.  
  
Just what had caused that?  
  
It did not matter now.  
  
“...individuality and diversity do not mean division,” SoSu was rounding up his speech. “Monotony is not a requirement for peace, only acceptance and understanding are needed. You can be who you want to be without causing others harm, you can celebrate that freedom you have as an individual to personalise who you are. Just because you do not conform to the norm it does not mean that you intend to inflict harm on others. Instead, we should reflect upon and respect who each of us are, we are not all the same and we should not strive to be, we are individuals, and whether others want to believe this or not, society is made up of individuals. You do not have to pretend to be happy when you're sad, nor calm when you're angry, your voices have just as much right to be heard as anyone else's. Why should your voices be silenced just because they do not conform? Difference does not mean division, it is acceptance that will ultimately lead us to true peace and harmony.”  
  
There was some enthusiastic clapping from the front of the crowd as SoSu drifted away from the podium, ShodYod was easily able to pick out the newcomers from the most loyal by their overenthusiastic clapping. There were proportionally a lot of them tonight, and ShodYod suddenly felt stupid as he remembered, this wasn't just any night, it was the monthly gathering in which SoSu welcomed in newcomers personally.  
  
This could be problematic…  
  
ShodYod hovered a way back, uncertain whether or not to interrupt. He would have to wait, he realised, until the others had left, only then would he be able to relay his concerns. His gaze drifted around the high vaulted room. He recognised others there, long term friends many of them, several were old colleagues of his, TekTih was a fellow professor at the Akadaemia, though he rarely taught these days, isolated up in his observatory tower. Rumour had it that he preferred to pretend that he lived amongst the stars than in the real world, ShodYod sometimes wondered if it was true.  
  
“Good evening, ShodYod,” he looked up as a harmonious voice called to his right. An ageing face, framed by a brilliant smile, greeted him. “I was beginning to fear that you were no longer attending these meetings. I am glad to see that I was wrong.”  
  
“SilSol, it is good to see you,” he bowed his head quickly and smiled back. “I've been away with work, but my thoughts have never wavered. I've been listening to SoSu's speeches by farcast.”  
  
“As have many,” SilSol smile wavered a little as he looked back to the gathering. “There is some unease amongst us I feel, SoSu might be a hero for sticking by his beliefs, and even losing his title and reputation for it, but others fear the possible consequences. Many of those who used to attend these talks no longer turn up. They prefer to keep a low profile, eager to agree but fearing repercussions.”  
  
“Do you?” ShodYod asked.  
  
“I've attended every single one of these assemblies since SoSu first spoke out after being expelled as a professor from the Akadaemia,” SilSol's smile returned warmly. “These assemblies mean a lot to me, these little social gatherings of like-minded and accepting people, I have made many friends here, I truly believe that what SoSu does is for a greater cause. I can only hope to see more of urskek kind turn to take a like-minded attitude.”  
  
“Who is no longer with us then?” ShodYod inquired, he had noticed a few familiar faces were missing from this evening's gathering, though perhaps like he had been they were just elsewhere at the moment. “I have yet to see HakHom.”  
  
“He's here, somewhere, I spoke to him only a moment ago,” SilSol gave him an amused smile. “He was delayed because he was waiting for YiYa at one of the transport beacons, but the crystal pulse came late.”  
  
“A lot of us seemed to have been effected by that problem today,” ShodYod commented. “I've never known such a thing to happen before.”  
  
“If it is of a cause for concern then the council will handle it,” SilSol replied assuredly. “They would never let harm come to the crystal. Perhaps it was just a natural fluctuation.”  
  
“That is statistically improbable,” ShodYod pointed out, but relented. “You are right, if it is trouble then the council will fix it. The elders will know what to do.”  
  
A few minutes later, the scent of sweetbread became apparent as another urskek joined them. AyukAmaj was a steward from another tower, the Tower of Charity. He was an individual with a rich voice and an equally rich taste for fine wines and thick broths. ShodYod didn't know him very well, and knew only that he was a respectable individual with family in the council itself. So after a little more forced talk, ShodYod excused himself and drifted away.  
  
Despite feeling nervous about what he knew, ShodYod decided to treat the evening event like any other while he waited, and began to seek out the newcomers that had arrived with OkAc and LiLii, wishing to welcome them.  
  
NaNol was the first that he came across.  
  
The newcomer's stern expression had turned somewhat sour and other urskeks nearby, sensing his stormy mood, were avoiding him. It was clear to ShodYod that the newcomer was unhappy about something, but if he didn't agree with SoSu's views then why was he here? Or perhaps he did agree but felt conflicted.  
  
ShodYod approached him.  
  
“NaNol, was it?” he asked. NaNol seemed startled, looking up abruptly at him from the goblet he had been drinking from. “Your face is new to me, is this the first assembly you have attended?”  
  
“Yes,” the other said, his face stern once more. “But I have been following SoSu's words for some time now by farcast… You work at the Akadaemia, right?”  
  
“Yes, I do,” ShodYod replied, feeling a bit confused. “Have we met before?”  
  
“My brother spoke highly of you, he was a mathematician, your predecessor.”  
  
“Ah,” a face appeared in ShodYod's mind's eye. “Old CerCir, I haven't seen him in many stellar cycles now, we were friends but seem to have since lost touch. How is he now?”  
  
“He is no longer with us.”  
  
“I am sorry to hear that,” ShodYod replied quickly. “An accident I assume?”  
  
“He's not dead,” NaNol's stern expression was further marred by a frown.  
  
“Ah,” ShodYod understood, and nodded his head quickly in embarrassment.   
  
There was only one place a missing urskek could go, only one place where an urskek could be considered the equivalent to dead, and to even mention the place was considered rude.  
  
The Mind-Shift facility, the place where all undesirable urskeks were sent. When an individual in society was considered a danger to their fellow urskeks, that was when the wardens appeared and took them away. Sometimes, many stellar cycles later, those admitted would be allowed free. But most were never seen again.  
  
Had the wardens taken EktUtt?  
  
“I am sorry to hear that,” Shodyod changed the conversation. “So, what do you think of what you managed to catch of SoSu's speech? His words are quite inspirational, are they not?”  
  
“He has a unique insight into the heart of urskek society,” NaNol seemed to agree, though it was hard for ShodYod to tell. “It is a shame that I missed the majority of his talk, I would have liked to have heard it all.”  
  
“There will be many others, all as good as the last,” ShodYod assured him. “SoSu was a great professor at the Akadaemia, and though he lost his post there, his great mind remains. So, what do you do, if you don't mind me asking?”  
  
NaNol did seem to mind, he hesitated in answering.  
  
“I have a garden, I grow plants. Tall flowers, climbing vines, tubers and fruit,” he said. “But mainly herbs and spices.”  
  
“You would get along well with AyukAmaj, he is a long term supporter here, steward of the Tower of Charity, he too has a fondness for such culinary goods.”  
  
“I only grow them as a pastime, as a hobby” NaNol said, but then added solemnly. “But my garden is precious to me.”  
  
“What else is it that you-” he began to ask, but was interrupted by a warm and hearty voice.  
  
“ShodYod, I haven't seen you for ages! How good it is to see you again!”  
  
SoSu 's aura appeared to shine brighter than ever, but ShodYod knew this was just the impression he gave. There was something so heartbreakingly kind and wise about his old face, his voice both soothing and reassuring, as if he understood all the hardships of life that everyone one of them had had to go through and knew how to make it all better.  
  
ShodYod had once asked OkAc about this strange phenomenon, unable to understand it by himself. OkAc had told him it was called charisma. How ShodYod wished he had just half the charisma that SoSu did…  
  
“SoSu, I am pleased to see you,” he bowed his head, as SoSu did the same. “But that is not the reason I came this evening, old friend. There is a grave matter I must discuss with you alone at once.”  
  
“Can you not share it here?” SoSu sounded bemused, though his pleasant expression never changed, he offered forth one of the two goblets he was holding.  
  
It was then that ShodYod remembered the newcomer he had been talking to and turned to introduce him, but NaNol was gone, he saw the back of his long robes disappearing amongst the others, vanishing into the crowd. He was surprised, but shook off the thought and returned to his conversation.  
Maybe NaNol was shy.  
  
“I don't want to cause you distress, but I have been feeling very concerned lately,” ShodYod lowered his voice, gratefully accepting the goblet that SoSu offered to him. “I have heard talk about your literature and speeches recently, not good talk. I am worried for your safety. If the council decides that you are dangerous you know what they will do...”  
  
“There is nothing to worry about, my work isn't dangerous, they know that,” SoSu laughed light-heartedly, but smiled reassuringly. “But your concern is appreciated.”  
  
“They might not see it the same way,” ShodYod pressed, despite SoSu's calm countenance already beginning to make him feel foolish. “You are a brilliant mind, but they made the Akadaemia let you go...”  
  
“And that's the best thing, this freedom.” SoSu appeared amused. “I have nothing material left that they can take from me.”  
  
“You know that's not what I'm talking about,” ShodYod lowered his voice even more. “You're growing more open with your differences in views to the council. Please, SoSu, some are beginning to call you a segre-”  
  
“I'm well aware of that,” SoSu interrupted, holding up a hand abruptly. “Please refrain from using that language here.”  
  
“I told you I wanted to speak to you alone,” he answered stiffly, and glanced around quickly to make sure no one was listening in. “But you know now my concern. If they think that you are that then you know what might happen.”  
  
“You really shouldn't worry, my friend,” SoSu smiled, spreading his arms wide as if to encompass the room. “See this peaceful gathering? No fighting, only acceptance and agreement, harmless and passive. The council could never argue that I'm dangerous, the idea itself is funny.”  
  
ShodYod tried to speak again, but SoSu simply shook his head.  
  
“You have nothing to worry about. Besides, even if there was a risk, I would be willing to take it, if it means that I can reach out to others and help them. Many of us have lived false unfulfilled lives, but we have had to pretend that everything is perfect despite it all, because that is what our society dictates of us. But life is to be enjoyed, not just lived, and I intend to make sure that all urskek kind knows this.”  
  
Huffing in impatience, ShodYod came to a decision. And hated himself for it, he didn't want to upset SoSu, he didn't want to see that brilliant reassurance flicker, but there was no other option.  
  
So he spoke the truth.  
  
“EktUtt has vanished.”  
  
SoSu's smile dropped.  
  
“Are you sure?” he asked quickly. “Since when?”  
  
“Last solar cycle. Or at least, that is when I last heard from him,” ShodYod explained uneasily. “This morning I visited his workshop, but the place was deserted, and more worrying yet, all his works were gone as well. I fear I know what has happened to him. He was always so outspoken of his views...”  
  
SoSu looked absolutely devastated, he turned his back upon the crowd so that only ShodYod could see his face.  
  
“Have you told any of the others yet?” he asked quietly.  
  
“Only TekTih. But some of them may have already realised. OkAc and LiLii were meant to meet him on their way here, but he never showed up.”  
  
“You did the right thing, we mustn't let this situation get out of control,” SoSu told him, his expression grave. “After the others have gone, I will speak with ZokZah and AyukAmaj, they both have connections within the council, if anything has happened to him they will be able to find out.”  
  
There was a clatter of goblet striking the marble floor at one end of the chamber, voices had began to become raised, interrupting their conversation. ShodYod look over when he recognised the sounds of panic.  
  
“What is going on over there?” SoSu questioned.  
  
A moment later, two tall stern urskeks emerged from the crowd, ShodYod knew them both. Valiant VarMa, the council's brave ambassador to the world beyond the Veil of Grey, and zealous ZokZah, the steward of the tower. They headed straight for SoSu, only quickly nodding their heads in acknowledgement of ShodYod.  
  
“There are protesters at the foot of the tower,” VarMa told SoSu quickly. “They are calling for all the “heretics" and "narcissists” to show their faces.”  
  
ShodYod could not believe his ears. Protesters? Since when had anyone active protested against the teachings of SoSu? Many had spoken disdainfully of SoSu, but none had ever pursued him before. He felt his unease returning tenfold.  
  
“I am steward here, and host of this event,” ZokZah stated in his deep voice. “I will speak to them.”  
  
“I think that I should go too,” SoSu said firmly.  
  
“It would not be a good idea, your presence might rile them up further,” VarMa said worriedly.  
  
ShodYod, not part of the conversation, looked towards the crowd. Many faces, marred with frowns, milled around, arms crossed and heads down. Many of the newcomers crowded into the corners of the room, close together, fear bubbling in their voices, fearful of being there.  
  
“But I must,” SoSu insisted. “VarMa, as a figure in the council, you have an emergency mass-transporter, don't you? Take all those who do not wish to be seen away from here, it is possible the protesters might choose to ascend the tower.”  
  
“I would rather accompany you, but if you think it is best,” VarMa bowed his head and drifted back.  
  
“I never thought I would see the day,” SoSu seemed to be in shock, but then he shook himself out of it and rose up above them to address the room. ShodYod listened intently.  
  
"There is no reason to fear," he told the crowd. “The talks will continue here, this interruption means nothing in the grand scheme of things, none of us pose a danger, you have my word, we will continue. I will talk with those outside now. Any who fear for their identities, please talk to VarMa, he can escort you out of here via mass-transport.”  
  
VarMa floated upwards so that he could be seen above the rest, and he looked down at ShodYod.  
  
“Follow me,” he told him quietly. “We will round up those who wish to leave.”  
  
ShodYod mutely nodded and glided after him, but he knew the damage had already been done. The fear he saw in the faces of those he looked upon now told him that many would not return.  
  
NaNol was amongst those first to leave, he met ShodYod's gaze more than once, he looked as if he wanted to say something but he never spoke. He and the other newcomers gathered around VarMa, and then in an instant they were gone, a flash of light that streaked from the chamber and out of the window.  
  
Mass-transport did not require the user to be near a crystal node, it was linked directly to the Great Crystal itself. And it meant that VarMa could travel anywhere he wanted within the homecity at a moment's notice.  
  
But with worry weighing down on his mind, ShodYod couldn't help but wonder just how much longer VarMa would be allowed to keep such a privilege

...

Slowly the first trickle of morning light filtered through the murky blue sky.  
  
ShodYod hovered amongst a crowd atop of a tower of domes. And for as far as he could see, in every direction, on each neighbouring tower, spire and structure were crowded with yet more urskeks.  
  
They awaited and watched the rise of the sun.  
  
A moment later, the first beam of sunlight struck the glowing heart of the Great Crystal deep within the Crystal Sanctum far away. Light was immediately cast in every direction, reflected by carefully placed mirrors and windows, so that this glow was visible even from the dome tower as distant as ShodYod's was. The light continued to glow for several minutes as the sun rose yet higher. He watched the light as if in a trance, just for a few moments he emptied his mind and just breathed.  
  
Till finally the sun was above the horizon and the crystal's light faded once more.  
  
The spell broken, he breathed a sigh and bowed his head. The rise of the morning sun could only bring so much comfort, the events of the day before were still heavy on his mind. SoSu might have said there was nothing to be concerned about, but he knew better. EktUtt hadn't left his home voluntarily, he was sure of that.  
  
 _And just how long until SoSu was also taken?_  
  
His journey home the night before had been unremarkable. No one had looked at him any differently, no one had said anything to him differently, and the crystal pulse had been on time. If he forgot the events of yesterday then he could almost pretend nothing had changed.  
  
If only it was that simple…  
  
Unexpectedly he began to feel a warmth around his left wrist, where he wore a metal band embedded with minute crystal veins. It fluctuated between warm and cold again, ShodYod recognised the characteristic of an incoming transmission. Someone was calling to him. Concentrating deeply, he closed his eyes and listened.  
  
Echoing softly in his mind, a voice spoke to him, somehow oddly familiar yet unidentifiable. He didn't recognise their song.  
  
 _“You must be ready, you're one of their targets. Please be careful, help the others if you can.”_  
  
And then the voice faded away, and all that was left was his own thoughts.  
  
ShodYod blinked, and glanced at his fellow urskeks as they headed back to their homes from the morning ritual. They looked no different that they did any other day, smiling and nodding to him as they passed. It was only when the last of them had gone that ShodYod realised he hadn't greeted a single one of them back.  
  
He drifted over the railing of the roof, and followed the walls of the tower, descending, until he finally came upon a small familiar archway. Pushing aside the white door-curtain, he went into his home.  
  
It was small home, simple, and mostly devoid of many personal possessions outside of those related to his work. The smooth sloping walls and arched doorway of his office were ever familiar to him, his desk scattered with documents, pens and inkwells...  
  
...but the sight of OkAc hovering in the midst of it all, was not.  
  
“OkAc? This is an unexpected visit,” ShodYod exclaimed.  
  
OkAc spun around, his eyes wide, his hands trembling.  
  
“I know. I know it is,” OkAc raised both hands to his face and fretted. “But I had no one else to turn to on such short notice! You have a teaching post in the Akadaemia, surely you must hold some sway with the council? I need your help!”  
  
“What is it? Tell me, old friend,” ShodYod tried to place a comforting hand upon his shoulder, but OkAc moved out of the way.  
  
“No time for reassurances,” he said quickly. “It’s LiLii, she’s gone!”  
  
“Gone? Where has she gone?”  
  
“The council took her,” OkAc interlaced his fingers to stop himself from shaking, the thin bonded chain around his wrist and forefinger still jangling nonetheless. “They appeared not long ago, wardens from the Mind-Shift facility. There were no questions, no discussion. They were simply there one moment, then they had turned to light and were gone!”  
  
“OkAc, this is serious. Do you know why this might have happened?”  
  
“She had published some poems that questioned uniformity a few weeks ago,” OkAc shook his head. “But I've written far worse in the past! And they never took me.”  
  
“Come now, perhaps it was just a mistake,” he reassured OkAc. “We will head to the Tower of Clarity, ZokZah holds sway in the council, and SoSu might be near as well, he will know what to do.”  
  
“I...I think that is probably the only thing we can do,” OkAc agreed. And he mutely followed ShodYod back out of the tower.  
  
...  
  
But upon reaching ZokZah’s tower, they found it empty.  
  
“ZokZah? ZokZah?” ShodYod called in the empty hall, his voice echoing off the decorative walls, OkAc following close behind him. “Are you here?”  
  
“ShodYod? OkAk?” another urskek emerged from a side chamber, in his arms he cradled a harp. “At last, familiar faces!”  
  
“SilSol,” ShodYod greeted the other. “Do you know of the whereabouts of ZokZah? It is urgent that we speak to him.”  
  
“It is I who requires help,” SilSol said wearily. “SoSu answers none of my attempts to contact him. I tried to speak with VarMa, but he is also silent.”  
  
“SoSu has gone missing?” ShodYod felt as if the ground beneath him had given way and he was hovering in a black abyss.  
  
“It is not that unusual, sometimes he is evasive,” SilSol plucked delicately at one of the strings on his harp. “But when I cannot get in contact with VarMa, or AyukAmaj or SaSan either, I begin to grow concerned.”  
  
"The council took LiLii," ShodYod told him. "They took EktUtt yesterday."  
  
"You _knew_ EktUtt was gone?" OkAc exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell us?"  
  
"Because I wasn't sure at the time. I told SoSu," ShodYod shook his head. "I'm sorry, this is all happening so fast."  
  
OkAc looked away, hands trembling again. "We should try to contact SoSu again, just to make sure he's gone."  
  
“Let me try,” ShodYod said, he concentrated hard, humming softly the tune that was unique to SoSu alone, the rhythm activating the communication device upon this wrist, sound reverberating in the crystal veins bound within it, seeking, he continued to sing softly, calling for SoSu to answer.  
  
But he never did.  
  
“The wardens have taken him,” SilSol said sorrowfully. “All those who have gone missing since last night, they must have been targeted and taken away.”  
  
“Who else is missing?” ShodYod asked quietly, remembering the odd warning he had received that morning. “If they are targeting those that followed SoSu's word, then we might have a chance to warn the others. If figures as influential as ZokZah can be taken, then none of us are safe.”  
  
Quietly, OkAc began to call for the others. SilSol and ShodYod soon joined him.  
  
They tried to contact the oldest members of the fellowship first, those who had been faithful to the cause longest.  
  
None answered.  
  
“Can they really all be gone?” OkAc asked. “Why aren't we amongst them?”  
  
“I think we were supposed to be,” SilSol replied. “I left home before the morning light had yet struck the crystal, I wished to welcome the sun rise with my music, so I travelled Amphitheatre. On my return I saw the wardens, and fled before they could see me.”  
  
“Do you think…?” ShodYod began to ask.  
  
“Yes, if you returned to your home, you would probably find them there now,” SilSol replied.  
  
“What do we do now?” OkAc asked. “I can only imagine that they haven't yet taken us because they do not know where we are.”  
  
“They can't round us all up,” SilSol said quietly, one longer finger plucked at a string on his harp again. “Not without trial. How many of us are there now? With those newcomers last night, I would say we numbered near a 100.”  
  
“82,” OkAc corrected, and began calling for someone else, this time calling songs that were not familiar to ShodYod, and he realised that they must belong to those of the newcomers. ShodYod and SilSol stood either side of him, their hands rested upon his shoulders so that they could hear the conversation too.  
  
Each of those that OkAc called in turn though answered without trouble and knew nothing was out of the ordinary. Several seemed uneasy still from the evening before, and many said they didn't want to have anything more to do with the talks. NaNol was one of the last to be called, and he answered just like the rest.  
  
“NaNol,” OkAc began to say.  
  
ShodYod pulled back from OkAc at the jolt he felt from the connection being abruptly severed. NaNol did not wish to talk to them it seemed.  
  
“The events of last evening must have spooked them,” OkAc shrugged helplessly.  
  
“I'm going to demand an audience with the council,” SilSol announced abruptly. “I'm not going to skulk around any longer. This is cowardly, they can't just take us all.”  
  
“No, you mustn't!” OkAc said quickly. “ZokZah was a steward, and VarMa within the council, and they are both gone now! What chance do you-”  
  
The three of them turned when they heard the crackle of a mass-transporter nearby. Someone else was in the tower besides them now. Could VarMa be here? ZokZah? Maybe even SoSu?  
  
But it wasn't.  
  
Drifting silently into the hall, three tall strangers dressed in trim grey robes observed them.  
  
Wardens.  
  
“Their identities resonate,” said one. “These are the ones.”  
  
"Just what crime have I commited?” OkAc cried out. “I am a writer!”  
  
“You are all segregationists,” replied the second warden. “Your trial starts soon.”  
  
The warden reached out and touched OkAc's shoulder, and instantly they vanished with a flash of light.  
  
“They have mass-transporters,” SilSol began to back up. “ShodYod? ShodYod, what do we do?!”  
  
ShodYod found that his words stuck to his throat, no advice to give he backed away as well. The two wardens began to approach again, arms outstretched to take them away. SilSol panicked, avoiding the warden's hand, he pushed their arm away.  
  
The sudden violence of this action shocked them, even SilSol, but his distraction was all it took for them to get close again. SilSol's harp shrieked as it clanged upon the floor.  
  
ShodYod, felt a light grip upon his arm a moment later, and in an instant he felt himself turn to light, and was gone.  
  
…  
  
When he was next in phase, ShodYod found himself in a rectangular room, the walls of which were were clear crystal on one side, and glowing force-field of light on the other. And with him were the others, all of whom were now slowly turning to look at them.  
  
A tall, young and angular urskek gently pushed his way through the others to look at them more closely.  
  
“ShodYod?” EktUtt asked disbelievingly. “They took you too? I had hoped that they would spare you.”  
  
“EktUtt, I am glad to see that you are well,” ShodYod said relieved, taking a firm hold of the other's shoulders. “I saw your workshop, how it had been emptied...”  
  
"I'll have you know I'm more annoyed by that, than being trapped here," EktUtt muttered in mock agreement, he smiled trying to make light of the situation.  
  
“LiLii!” cried out OkAc, and he swept rapidly into the crowd, quickly interlacing his fingers with those of LiLii, the matching rings upon their fingers clinking together. “It is good to see you, oh, it's so good to see you...”  
  
"Where are we?" ShodYod asked EktUtt.  
  
"I've been here more than a day now, they haven't told me anything," he crossed his arms and looked towards SoSu, ShodYod following his gaze. SoSu hovered alone, gaze downcast at one of the walls, expression uncharacteristically blank. To see such someone so usually charismatic as SoSu reduced to such a state of apathy left ShodYod stunned.  
  
"No one knows anything yet," EktUtt continued. "All we know is that they targeted us for being associated with SoSu..."  
  
"You blame him?" ShodYod asked.  
  
"He isn't doing much to make me forgive him," EktUtt replied irritably. "Ever since he arrived, he hasn't said a word."  
  
"He never made us to attend his speeches," ShodYod pointed out.  
  
EktUtt's shoulders sagged. "Forgive me, I'm not myself," he replied.  
  
There was a sharp crackle and a warden and another captive appeared. The warden was gone again near instantaneously, but to their confusion the new arrival was also dressed in grey, and they knew him by name.  
  
“NaNol?” OkAk said in surprise.  
  
“He's a warden!” VarMa exclaimed with alarm, ZokZah and AyukAmaj raising their voices in agreement.  
  
They knew NaNol had been at the speech the night before, and now they knew he was a warden. _Was he the one that had sold them out? What was he doing here?_  
  
Collectively they drew away from him, fearfully. Just what was it that they did in Mind-shift facilities that allowed them to change the mind of those they incarcerated? How did they meddle with their thoughts to alter their very individuality? Could NaNol pose a risk by just being close?  
  
“Was a warden,” NaNol said loudly. “As of an hour ago, I was arrested for breaching council confidentiality by communicating with citizens, forewarning them of the actions that the council was already beginning to take.”  
  
“You were the one that contacted me at sunrise?” ShodYod recalled.  
  
“I contacted you too late,” NaNol confirmed.  
  
“Who are you, NaNol?” hearing SoSu's voice again came as a surprise, ShodYod drifted back to move out of his way.  
  
“I have been listening to your speeches for many solar cycles now,” NaNol said looking directly at SoSu. “And I have worked at the Mind-shift facility for far longer than that. But your words gave me some light in the darkness I found myself in. Last evening was the first time that I had attended one of your talks in person, but I came as not only to listen but to bring warning as well. Forgive me, I could not go through with it, I left when the interlopers arrived. I feared that some of them might be from the council, and would recognise me. But as you see, it didn't matter in the end.”  
  
“I am glad to hear that you appreciated my speeches,” SoSu told him. “But you know of the council's plans. How long had they been planning this? Why would they do this?”  
  
“All 17 of you are seen as the figure heads of a segregationist movement. You have been on the council's radar for some time now. They had wanted to take all of you last night before the recruitment speech could be held. But when they realised that such an action would leave you all as martyrs to the newcomers, that they could not take all 82 of you, too much public attention. So they decided to wait. The delay in the crystal pulse yesterday was no accident, the council meddled with the pulse on purpose so that fewer people would be able to make it to the assembly, so that “less damage would be done”. Now they've taken all of you. Soon you will be separated and processed. Maybe in a many stellar cycles you will all be released, as new individuals with beliefs that match those of the council's once more. But it is more likely that many of you will never be released, especially you, SoSu. They think you are too dangerous.”  
  
“And so this is it? This trial is no trial, but a sentence instead,” SoSu concluded.  
  
“The council confers now on what the next best move is, to explain the vanishing of all 17 of you to the public, but it will be over soon. Here as a warden at the Mind-shift facility, I knew when EktUtt was taken. I knew it was serious, I knew I had to warn the rest of you, but how? I couldn't dare speak to you directly could I? So I sung ShodYod's song and I warned him this morning. But here I am mere hours later, the council has eyes everywhere.”  
  
“What will happen to us now?” OkAc asked. “Are we already in the Mind-shift facility?”  
  
“We are in the Crystal Sanctum,” NaNol replied. “I believe that the Elders themselves may address us, and once they have declared our crimes, they will sentence us. Likely to permanent confinement.”  
  
Abruptly there was a sharp crackle, the force-field of light flickering, and then it was gone.  
  
There was several cries of surprise and disbelief as they looked outward.  
  
ShodYod could almost not believe what he saw. In front of them was an immense chamber, higher than any he had ever seen before, glowing with a warm pure light, so beautiful that ShodYod almost felt he could cry. And there it was, the heart of his home, the Great Crystal, bound in the centre of the shamber by trails of shadows and light.  
  
This was the Crystal Chamber, high in the Sanctum of the Crystal.  
  
Most went their entire lives without seeing it.  
  
The chamber itself sloped, and all around the perimeter, facing them, ShodYod could see many high-backed ivory white tiered seats, in which the council, 100 strong, waited for them.  
  
But closer still, hovering between them and the Great Crystal, were 21 ancient urskeks, the three of sevens, holiest of numbers. Their robes about their chests were a faded red, the colour of life and wisdom, none but they could wear such a colour  
  
They were the Council Elders.  
  
Each was said to be older than time itself, if that were possible. The same 21 elders now were the same as the ones when he had been a youth, none looked any different. Urskeks lived a long time, but those of the council have lived many times longer than that, some said it was because they were blessed with knowledge, others said it was their harmony with the crystal itself that gave them such unnaturally long life. TekTih had once told ShodYod that he had other theories...  
  
Once there was absolute silence, and the Elders finally spoke.  
  
“The 18 of you are held on account today as segregationists, and for perpetuating discord amongst the uniformitarism beliefs that are held by all urskek-kind,” said three of the Elders as one, their voices perfectly synchronised. “The council has deemed your ways dangerous and destructive, we put a stop to that now before any permanent harm can be done.  
  
“Oh wise Elders,” SoSu spoke up solemnly, moving forwards. “Please, we have commited no crimes! I can assure you that nothing I say is harmful. I am a philosopher, nothing I say is concrete, I make no decisions for anyone. None of us have committed any crime.”  
  
“We beg to differ,” one of the Elders replied. “You, SoSu, are a poisonous heart, infecting others with your narcissistic beliefs. Your words encourage others to feel as if they valued above that of others, more worthy of existence. Your words are selfish. Do you think that you know better than the council, than the entirety of urskek-kind?”  
  
“We do no harm. We simply share our views that we want to be individuals. But there is a misunderstanding, we wish to be individual parts of a whole, not separate, not divided,” SoSu continued. “Please be reasonable, we are not segregationists!”  
  
“Your words are sacrilege,” snapped one of the other Elders. “How dare you speak of reason? The words you share are empty!”  
  
“Hear this, council and all of urskek-kind,” said another of the Elders. “This fraudulent thinker wants us to fall to the level of those beyond the Veil of Grey, where life cripples the weakest, amd those who cannot stand on their own, die by their own. Equality is but a myth there! And peace is naught but a dream there! But here, in our system that he is trying to corrupt, we have both! Yet he tries to disrupt it! Divide people, make them different! Make them judge and discriminate!”  
  
“That is a theory in itself,” SoSu spoke up. “It’s not the differences in people that cause the problems, it is the problems that people have with differences.”  
  
“And how do you propose that you get around that?” one of the Elders pointed at him. “Society doesn’t work that way, differences are always noticed! We have to be all the same, equal to have peace. Your words of differentiation are heresy, akin to malice! You want to see people hurt..."  
  
“You are greatly misinformed if you think that I would ever wish harm upon anyone,” SoSu replied calmly. “I preach unity and harmony.”  
  
“You’re delusional, nothing you say could ever result in harmony,” said one of the Elders dismissively. “The rays of the Great Crystal itself are all identical in their composition, like our life force, we strive to be the same! To be harmonious! Not become a discordant song like the words you ramble.”  
  
“Let's not talk any further to these heretics,” another of the Elders said, slanting the eyes of his impossibly ancient face at them. “I fear that his very words may bring darkness to all who listen to him. We must do what we can to protect the crystal and all of urskek-kind.”  
  
“Perhaps we should send them beyond the Veil of Grey, so that they can see the truth for themselves,” said another. “We might as well as be rid of them, they would not be able to return.”  
  
“If we sent them there, they would martyrs for others! Those foolish enough to believe their lies would see it as proof that they can leave too.”  
  
“We should make an example of them,” said one of the tallest ones. “Turn their bodies into light and scatter it to the cosmos so that they never reform. Show them the true opposite of harmony.”  
  
“No, that is too much. An example we should make of them, but not that drastic. They want freedom to express themselves? Let's send them some place where no one can follow them.”  
  
The Elders murmured in agreement.  
  
“Heretics,” they addressed them all. “Your sentence is banishment. But fear not, we do not hold grudges, we are compassionate and caring. We are as kind as we we are wise, and we have a solution that will benefit all of us. We will not incarcerate you, instead, you can go free. But it will not be here. You are no longer welcome here.”  
  
“Where are you sending us?” SoSu asked disbelievingly.  
  
“Wherever the Great Crystal chooses,” the elders replied. “But fear not, if you can prove yourselves worthy, the crystal might choose to let you return on day.”  
  
“But where is that?” SoSu repeated.  
  
“The harmony of the crystal light, strengthened as it is without a set destination will align with that of the nearest frequency light that is harmonic to its own,” TekTih told him quietly. “That is where we will go.”  
  
“In other words, there is no knowing. We could emerge on another world where there is a crystal identical to ours, as anyone one of millions within the universe. Or we could emerge on the light of a distant star...” SilSol muttered fearfully.  
  
“But how would we ever get back?!” OkAc exclaimed.  
  
“That is for the crystal to decide, your darkness means that it may never come to pass,” the Elders said with finality.  
  
“You hope the 18 of us will die and never return,” UngIm voice boomed above the others, startling many of them.  
  
“That is for the crystal to decide,” the Elders repeated.  
  
“SoSu, they send us to our deaths,” said TekTih, panicked.  
  
“Please, oh wise ones,” SoSu pleaded with the council. “If my words have been shown to be so wrong, then send me alone, let these others return to their lives. They see the repercussions of their actions now, please, let them go.”  
  
“An urskek does not plead,” exclaimed one of the Elders. “To do so indicates that he thinks he is being treated unfairly. We treat you no differently than anyone else of your position. How dare you consider yourself above others?!”  
  
“Your arrogance, even in this situation, is astounding. Even now you refuse to admit that your teachings were treasonous and dangerous. You are delusional, and your most faithful followers are tainted by your darkness, the crystal will decide for all of you,” said another Elder.  
  
“You can't make us,” UngIm continued defiantly, his voice stern and grim. “Not all of us will just blindly follow your word, how will you make us walk into the light if we do not agree? We have done nothing wrong, and we won't be treated this way.”  
  
“But you would blindly follow the word of your _'leader'_ ”, the last word was said with a tone of disgust. “So, SoSu? What will it be, eternity locked in the Mind-shift facility from which we guarantee you will never be freed till the day of your death, or a chance at redemption? You might be able to return still? Which would you condemn your followers to?”  
  
“I am not their leader, merely a voice,” SoSu replied. “Their choices are their own, I could never make their decisions for them.”  
  
“Your leader refuses to accept responsibility, or to even offer a guiding word,” one of the Elders said harshly to the rest of them. “What will you do now?”  
  
“They can't force us, don't fear,” UngIm spoke up again.  
  
“If you don't comply you will be instantly transported to the Mind-shift facility and locked in the deepest cell we have,” the Elders spoke again as one. “We cannot force you to leave, but you forget yourself if you think we cannot contain your poison.”  
  
There was much muttering amongst the others now, horrified at the prospects they suddenly found themselves facing.  
  
“But this place is my home.”  
  
“Everything I have, is here!”  
  
“They sentence us to death!”  
  
“I am not making this choice for you,” SoSu turned to them, his head bowed. “I am deeply saddened and shocked that this event has come to pass. Your path in life is your own, you must do as you see fit. But I for one will be moving on, there is no place for me now. I am so terribly sorry that I have brought the rest of you down with me...”  
  
“He will not be alone, for I am going too,” VarMa said decisively.  
  
“And I will follow too,” said SilSol. “I would follow your words to the ends of the universe, there is nothing else, nothing truer.”  
  
“I too,” said EktUtt. “I grow bored of this place.”  
  
“And me,” said TekTih. “I want to see more than just distant stars.”  
  
Slowly every one of them agreed, ShodYod was one of the last to nod. Though he trusted SoSu with his life, this could not alone silence his nervous thoughts. He calculated the risk and benefits of all his options, but there his thoughts seem to come to stop, it was too much, too much. The decision too overwhelming to comprehend.  
  
Without another thought he turned to SoSu and smiled in turn, silently offering his support.  
  
“So be it,” SoSu said, and turned to face the Elders. “We will leave this place.”  
  
The 21 Elders moved, parting to form a semi circle around the Great Crystal. Three high windows, each thrice as high as an urskek was tall, twisted open in the ceiling above them, light from the sun poured in, striking the crystal. Mirrors upon the walls were turned, reflecting back the light, focusing it upon a space upon the floor. The air here seemed to writhe and twist, as if itself was alive.  
  
“Have no fear, it's always like this,” VarMa tried to reassure them. “It was the same when I was sent on my missions beyond the Veil of Grey.”  
  
“Except this time the light is not harmonious with that of the land you speak of,” TekTih said. “Who knows where this light might send us.”  
  
“We await your move,” the Elders said.  
  
“I will follow you,” SilSol said to SoSu. “Your decision is mine.” Several of the others nodded in agreement, smiling despite the situation.  
  
But SoSu seemed to be lost for words, conflicted at the choice that had been forced upon him. UngIm gave a low impatient huff and abruptly began to move towards the light. SoSu finally returned to life, and along with VarMa they stopped the healer from leaving.  
  
“Stop!” he said at last. “We will all go, together.” And slowly, and sadly, he looked between their faces. “Is that alright with the rest of you?”  
  
“I like that idea,” ShodYod agreed.  
  
The 18 turned to face the light and began to move forth. The Elders looked down upon them with stern stony faces. The council from their seats leaned forward to watch.  
  
“So be it,” the Elders said. “We will see if the 18 fallen ones can ever rise again, prove themselves that they can work together in harmony and good. Strive to live by the ideals that all urskek live, and then one day, maybe the crystal may even allow them to return and give them a second chance.”  
  
The council rose to their feet, clapping for their Elders.  
  
It was surreal.  
  
ShodYod kept as close to the others as they moved towards the light, and then watched as each in turn became pure light. As each vanished he became more afraid of being left behind, and so when his turn came to join them, he was more than happy to go.  
  
Leaving home behind.


End file.
